


happiness

by asexuelf



Series: Emotions Challenge [6]
Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, F/F, Fluff, Genderqueer Fenris (Dragon Age), Neopronouns, Pirates, Slavery, Violence, genderqueer wlw fenris rides again!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 17:08:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21165161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asexuelf/pseuds/asexuelf
Summary: Captain Isabela's ship comes across a Tevinter slaver vessel. Fenris is thoughtful afterwards.





	happiness

**Author's Note:**

> 'pledging my love' by johnny ace came on while i was writing this and i got so friggin emotional

Fenris had always believed that happiness would be louder somehow. Something more fit for raucous tavern songs that drunken men would shout themselves hoarse to, or cacophonous, city-wide parades through Orlais that both disturb and entrance the locals. But then, the Chantry believes this can only be found after death, nestled against the side of the Maker and basking in His light, so all the songs Fenris has heard are quiet. Not quite lullabies and not quite funeral dirges.

In some odd way, Fenris thinks sie understands now.

With sier head resting on Isabela's chest, the ship around them swaying side to side with the waves, sie feels that gentle song in sier throat, thick and choking, sticking to every wall inside sier body. Sier eyes prickle with sudden, unshed tears.

Not but a few hours earlier, they had come across a Tevinter vessel, full of recently kidnapped elves and Tevinter-bred slaves alike. Fenris had cut so many throats, torn out so many still-beating dark hearts, but sie'd found sierself doing more than that, too.

Speaking gently to a frightened girl from Starkhaven, helping her bathe urine off of her body and dress because she trusted no one else. Telling freed slaves that they were no longer under anyone's command while memories of the Fog Warriors wrestled in sier heart. Sharing stories of Shartan in Tevene and in Trade, to young and old alike. How this is contentment, Fenris doesn't know, but sie knows it now.

This place, these people… The ocean beneath them is Fenris' home, the chest beneath sier ear housing sier heart. This is the future sie never believed sie could have -  _ and it's here _ .

"You give me purpose," sie whispers into Isabela's neck.

"Oh, don't start with that nonsense," Sie freezes. Sie was certain Isabela had been asleep. Oh, if the blighted woman would only snore! "You give  _ yourself _ purpose."

Fenris opens sier mouth to argue,  _ it's you _ , and maybe even,  _ you're my hero,  _ but Isabela sits up and meets sier gaze somewhat fiercely. Her face is slack with humor and sleep, but her eyes, hard and bright like dark liquor through glass… She's serious. Fenris knows her well enough by now to shut sier mouth.

"If you  _ must _ split hairs, it's those people that give you purpose. And you reach for it. You stand and  _ make _ it yours."

"Isabela…?"

"I'm proud of you." She averts her eyes then, the dim light of Fenris' lyrium glow softening her round features further. Fenris is reminded suddenly of the Starkhaven girl, of her unwavering trust and steadfast belief that the elf covered in blood was her savior. "That's all."

Fenris huffs, unable to fight a small smile. Sier face feels hot. An argument sits on sier tongue, but for once, sie bites it. Sie's proud of sierself too. That girl's eyes look up in sier mind's eye, open and grateful, and Fenris knows sie is good.

"You do so much on this ship. This crew would be nothing without you."

"You discredit yourself, Captain."

"Look who's talking."

A final kiss to the flat of sier nose silences her first mate, too busy grinning to broker any more arguments. After a bit of shifting in the hammock, Isabela is pressed warm and soft against sier back, and all sie can think as sie falls into sleep is  _ I love you, I love you, I love you… _

Fenris isn't sure what sie believed happiness would be, but it wasn't this. Still, sie could ask for nothing more, and knows, with unwavering certainty, that sie would accept nothing less. Not anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! 💖


End file.
